• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.660-664
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• 2005

Infantile hemangioendothelioma(IHE) of the liver is the most common vascular tumor in infants before the age of 6 months. It is a histologically benign tumor with potentially life-threatening complications. The clinical manifestations are variable, ranging from asymptomatic forms to intractable high-output heart failure. In addition, abdominal mass, intraperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of mass, respiratory distress, hematologic abnormalities and jaundice can occur. Diagnostic work-up is through doppler ultrasound sonography, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging and angiography. Treatment consists of medical treatment, interventional therapy, surgical resection and liver transplantation. We experienced symptomatic IHE in a premature neonate who presented with high output heart failure and respiratory distress. Initial medical treatment and steroid therapy failed to improve his condition. Coil embolization of left hepatic artery resulted in improvement of respiratory symptoms. However, a left lobectomy was performed because the mass size was not decreased with development of collateral vessels. The infant was well, after a successful discharge from the hospital.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2008

Infantile hepatic hemangioendotheliomas (IHHEs) are benign vascular tumors, but can be associated with the life-threatening complications, such as congestive heart failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and massive bleeding. Various therapeutic options have been developed and the treatment response depends on the patient's clinical status and the nature of the lesion. In the case of a symptomatic IHHE, a non-invasive and precise diagnosis should be performed promptly before the therapeutic method is chosen. Additionally, it should be kept in mind that the residual lesions have malignant potential. We report a case of a congenital giant IHHE that was successfully reduced in size by interferon-$\alpha$ and completely removed by surgical tumor resection with a hepatic lobectomy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.260-266
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• 2011

Purpose: Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is the most common type of hepatic vascular tumor in infancy. We conducted this study to review our clinical experience of patients with IHHE and to suggest management strategies. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 23 IHHE patients (10 males, 13 females) treated at the Asan Medical Center between 1996 and 2009. Results: Median age at diagnosis was 38 days (range, 1 to 381 days). Seven patients (30%) were diagnosed with IHHE based on sonographically detected fetal liver masses, 5 (22%) were diagnosed incidentally in the absence of symptoms, 5 (22%) had congestive heart failure, 3 (13%) had skin hemangiomas, 2 (9%) had abnormal liver function tests, and 1 (4%) had hepatomegaly. All diagnoses were based on imaging results, and were confirmed in three patients by histopathology analysis. Six patients were observed without receiving any treatment, whereas 12 received corticosteroids and/or interferonalpha. One patient with congestive heart failure and a resectable unilobar tumor underwent surgical resection. Three patients with congestive heart failure and unresectable tumors were managed by hepatic artery embolization with/without medical treatment. At a median follow-up of 29 months (range, 1 to 156 months), 21 (91%) patients showed complete tumor disappearance or >50% decrease in tumor size. One patient died due to tumor-related causes. Conclusion: IHHE generally has a benign clinical course with low morbidity and mortality rates. Clinical course and treatment outcome did not differ significantly between medically treated and non-treated groups. Surgically unresectable patients with significant symptoms may be treated medically or with hepatic artery embolization.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.134-143
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• 2008

Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is the most common benign vascular hepatic tumor in children. We analyzed the 17-year experience of IHHE. The medical records of 16 patients (M:F=8:8) treated at the Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Department of Pediatrics Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January 1991 and January 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Mean age at presentation was 87 days (1 day - 551 days). Seventy five percent of patients were diagnosed with imaging study and 25 % with biopsy. Major symptoms were hepatomegaly (N=5), palpable abdominal mass (N=4) and congestive heart failure (N=3). Six patients had no symptoms. Kasabach-Merritt syndrome was combined in one patient. Nine patients (56.3 %) underwent operation and 2 patients (12.5 %) underwent only medical treatment. Clinical observation was tried on 5 patients (31.3 %) without any treatment. Operation was performed on the patient with clinical symptoms or on patients where the differentiation between begin and malignant could not be determined. Patients who had clinical symptoms but tumor was unreresectabile were treated medically. Among the 5 patients who had been observed for their clinical course, 2 patients showed complete regression and the tumors of the remaining 3 patients were regressing. Clinical symptoms, the age at presentation, the size of tumor and ${\alpha}$-FP, all had no significant statistical relationship with the time required for complete tumor regression. There was no relationship between the size change of the tumor and the change of ${\alpha}$-FP level. Only the size of tumor was related with clinical symptoms. One patient died of post-operatvie bleeding. Treatment plan was determined by the extent of the tumor and the presence of clinical symptoms. Observation was enough for the patients without clinical symptoms and complete resection was curative for patients with clinical symptoms. Medical treatment is an alternative for the patient whose tumor is unresectable.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.136-140
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• 2010

Galactosemia is a group of inherited enzyme deficiencies characterized by increase in the blood galactose levels. This condition may be associated with deficiencies of galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase, galactokinase, or uridine diphosphate galactose-4-epimerase. However, the elevated galactose identified by neonatal screening tests has several other possible etiologies, including hepatic hemangioendothelioma, hepatic hemangioma, and patent ductus venosus with hypoplasia of the portal vein. We report a 13-day-old Korean male with hepatic hemangioendothelioma, which was incidentally detected during the evaluation for suspected galactosemia. Laboratory studies revealed that mildly elevated levels of galactose, galactose-1-phosphate and alpha- fetoprotein, at the time of admission, were graduallydecreased to the normal range over the 6 months of observation. Ultrasonography showed a well-defined heterogeneous hypoechoic mass in the liver, and magnetic resonance imaging study showed multiple enhanced mass lesions, which was compatible with the diagnosis of a hepatic hemangioendothelioma. Thus, hepatic imaging, especially ultrasonography, should be performed if neonatal screening suggests galactosemia.